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A N.C. Superior Court judge has ordered an Arizona company to stop contacting consumers in North Carolina and offering them credit cards.

N.C. judge puts restraining order on credit-card company

N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper's office says Premier Nationwide Corp. of Scottsdale, Ariz., has previously contacted consumers by mail and phone, offering them pre-approved credit cards with high credit lines and low interest. Those who agreed to the deal were asked to pay an upfront processing fee of $379 and then told to contact a bank to get their credit cards. But when they did so, they were often told to fill out a credit-card application -- which was usually denied, Cooper's office says. The office received complaints that Premier Savings refused to refund the processing fee.

Cooper's office says a judge placed a temporary restraining owner on the company, preventing it from contacting North Carolinians. The office is seeking a court order that would require Premier Savings to repay consumers and pay fines to the state.

"With tough economic times, the last thing consumers need is to pay for help they don't receive," Cooper says in a statement. "We'll keep working to hold companies to their promises."